Resident urges town action after repeated backyard flooding in Peterson Ditch area

At the council's public-comment period, resident Lori Laster described repeated flooding at 801 Oakwood Drive after heavy rain, saying "somewhere north of 12 inches in about 20 days" filled her yard and that the culvert intended for the subdivision was never constructed.

"When the subdivision was designed, there was supposed to be a culvert in our backyard for all of our rainwater to go. That was never constructed," Laster said, adding that standing water creates a mosquito breeding ground and requires her family to pump water from the yard.

Engineering and street staff told the council they inspected the area and described the culvert under 11th Street as "sumped," meaning the pipe sits lower than the water level, which can make surface flow appear stationary even though water is moving. Staff said Peterson Ditch's headwater elevation is higher than the pipe and that vegetation and low-lying wetland conditions affect drainage.

An engineering representative said crews will revisit the site, look for blockages or overgrowth that can be cleared, and determine whether feasible maintenance will improve drainage. "We can take a look at that for sure," staff said.

Town staff did not promise capital construction at the meeting; they noted past maintenance in 2019 and said more investigation is needed to determine whether clearing or other remediation is practical.

Next steps: street and engineering staff will re-inspect the ditch and backyard area, check for feasible clearing of vegetation or obstruction, and report back to the resident and council.